


What is Real

by TottyTottyTotty



Category: Red Dwarf (UK TV)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28558815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TottyTottyTotty/pseuds/TottyTottyTotty
Relationships: Dave Lister/Arnold Rimmer
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	What is Real

His sweat wasn’t _ real _ but it felt real. As did the pounding in his head, aches in his arms and legs, and the creeping pain that moved up his spine. He probably should have been in awe of the technological feat that he now simulated the malodorous stink of drudgery. Unfortunately, it’d barely been a day since he received the upgrade and Rimmer was already starting to forget what had seemed so great about being able to feel.

Having the ability to lift, to hold, to hammer, twist, and bolt meant he wasn’t excused from the manual labor as he once was. It was a privilege he missed sorely. Just trying to escape imminent death was exhausting enough without also having to help repair a stardrive-sized hole with whatever scraps they had laying around. The task was even harder considering how terrifically bad Rimmer was at it. And how hard he was trying to get out of it. The job was a few steps above the paygrade of a chicken soup machine repairman anyway.

It was undignified, an Acting Senior Officer ordered about and snapped at by an ambitionless lesser, a moronic pet, and a pompous robot built specifically for scrubbing the particularly nasty bits of a toilet seat. But as all things do, it had ended. 

Rimmer did take notice of how his footsteps now fell with a soft clank on the metal that wasn’t there before. He had walked through the midsection hundreds of times and it was never like this. He stopped to tap his boot louder, drinking in the strange sound. The small chill of a vent recycling the air gave him a shiver. With a weird uncertainty, he reached out and held the handrail, half expecting it to not work. When his palm met cool metal, it was a small victory. The feelings were familiar but also somehow still surreal. 

A metallic creak from behind caught his attention. Lister had come up the stairs, likely headed to his quarters as well. For having done ten times the work Rimmer did, he looked far more chipper.

Lister met his eyes and smiled kindly. 

Rimmer realised he'd been caught savoring his senses. He must have looked ridiculous, enjoying a rusty old handrail and a stale breeze. It didn't matter though because he was too busy being achy and sensitive and corporal to care what anyone thought. 

Lister didn't make any cracks at his look of pleasure. He just smiled and came closer. Very close. Reaching out, he slid his hand along the railing until it slipped up and over Rimmer's, nestling perfectly around it.

The metal had felt good. The soft pressure of skin was pure heaven. Real, genuine flesh and bones, warm and alive against him. Rimmer felt dizzy, lightheaded, as if close to fainting. It was hard to concentrate on both standing and processing the unexpected feeling of fingers against fingers at the same time.

When Lister tilted his head and leaned in, inquisitive, hungry, Rimmer couldn't help but dip down to meet the pouting lips. They tasted of smoke and the light scratch of stubble scraped along his chin. He should have hated it, but instead he pushed back, hot and hard.

Lister pinned the hologram against the wall, gasping a small, happy laugh into his mouth. The entire lengths of their chests pressed into each other as the scouser licked his way past Rimmer’s lips to find his tongue. His strong hand wiggled under the hem of the blue jacket to find bare skin to pet underneath.

A fire grew in Rimmer’s belly, his newly acquired senses lighting up like lightning, overwhelming him. The soft lips pressed against his with an urgency that sent his heart pounding. He didn’t know what he was doing but it didn’t matter as long as Lister did and so he surrendered to the onslaught, quivering and useless.

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it was gone.

Rimmer’s mouth hung, wet and open as the scouser gave him a big, soppy grin. Returning to reason, the hologram racked his mind to interpret what just happened. 

His eyes must have communicated his confusion because Lister shrugged with a smile. He patted Rimmer’s cheek twice in a friendly sort of fashion and strolled off towards his bunkroom as if they’d just ended a pleasant conversation comprised mainly of small talk.

Rimmer licked his lips where Lister’s had been a moment before. He remembered now what had seemed so great about being able to feel.

  
  



End file.
